Restless Spirit
by midnightwolfGX
Summary: Brooklyn, hurt from repeated rejections and bitter from his friends in love, leaves Manhattan to live on his own as a nomad. However, Demona uses this situation to try to hunt him down and kill him. Later, Brooklyn learns he has a rare power to alter situational probability. Will he use it for good, or is he too bitter and will make things worse? And especially, can he stop Demona?
1. Ch 1--Atmosphere

**Okay, it's time to do a first-person type of narration for this story, and it's gonna be with one of my favorite animated Disney cartoons…Gargoyles, starring one of my favorite cartoon characters…Brooklyn!**

**Note: This takes place within the few years after **_**The Goliath Chronicles**_**, but before the **_**Timedancer**_** saga.**

I am sitting on the ledge of the tallest tower of Castle Wyvern atop David Xanatos' Eyrie Building, staring down at the hazy lights of the island of Manhattan. It's raining, it's cold, it's windy, it's dark, but I don't care. Despite everyone having a party down in the Great Hall, I had to get away from all the tension. What do I mean, you ask? Well, it all starts…with the _atmosphere_.

I don't find a party filled with couples to…agree with me. Detective Eliza Maza of the NYPD and Delilah, a genetically-engineered gargoyle, have both been giving Goliath a great time. Broadway and Angela…well…I've had to watch them caress each other in their wings and arms all night. Even Xanatos and Fox feel the need to share their love with us, particularly by showing off their new son, Alex. I feel so alone…extremely alone after having been denied what everyone else has. Yes, I have been in love, but never have I had it returned.

There was Maggie Reed, a mutate, whom I rescued and attempted to help her find a cure to change her back, but then she pushes me aside for…Talon (jeez, saying the name makes me gag).

And then there's Angela; she wasn't sure for quite a bit of time which of us to choose, but of course…she chose Broadway (Seriously, why _him_ over _me_!? I've got a trim-figure and wavy hair, like the ladies like! Come on, Broad's got _neither_ of those!)

And…if I must keep going further…Delilah was next. I was planning to make the first move on her, but thanks to Elisa…Goliath asked her out. Even after fighting off Thailog with them, she still wasn't interested in me!

Okay, there you have it! I'm bitter! I admit it! But, I have the _right_ to be in such a state! I keep getting denied! Why! Is there something wrong with me? Something I'm missing? Some sort of _trick_ that I'm not aware of!? I seriously don't get it! I'm nice, I'm good-looking, I do good things for this world…so WHY haven't I gotten MY break yet!? When will the universe finally reward me for my efforts!? Who knows? Maybe fate has just put me on this world to feel bad about myself and suffer.

Damn, who knows what major obstacle I will have to try and overcome next? Now, I know what you're thinking: just try to ignore it and enjoy what you can in life. But, no, it's not that easy; these guys are my _Rookery Brothers_, and because I have to spend every day seeing all this love, it is really hard to ignore it. Come on, I at least know that Lexington is still single, but really, he has never been in love before, so he doesn't count. I lift my head up at the sound of footsteps and look over my shoulder.

"Oh, Hudson…" I said at the elderly, eyepatch-bearing gargoyle with a sword.

"Goliath was wonderin' where you have been. What be the matter, lad?" Hudson asked, noticing my expression.

I sighed, "…Nothing. Just needed some air." I lied.

"Well, you might wanna be comin' back on down, lad," Hudson said, motioning his arm down the flight of stairs, "the weather'll make you catch cold!"

"Hmph," I said, knowing by instinct that a stone-sleep during the day would cure me if I did get sick, but I didn't wanna upset the old man, "Okay, I'm coming."

I went back down the stairs, through the familiar corridors to the Great Hall, where it looked like the party was still going on.

"Hey, Brooklyn!" Elisa said, waving as I entered the large room, "Where were you for the past half-hour?"

"On the roof." I responded.

"Why were you gone for a lengthy stretch of time?" Goliath asked me, "Was something happening?"

I shook my head, "No…I was just thinking."

"Heh heh," Lexington laughed at me, "You _always_ play that card when you disappear!" he said.

Xanatos folded his arms, "Are you sure that you are not planning to turn against me again?" he asked, "You should know what I considered to end this feud."

"One," I began, "we never turned against you; you just thought we 'couldn't be controlled', remember? Two, I wasn't planning to turn against you, I just needed some time to think."

Xanatos shrugged his shoulders, "If you say so…" he said before returning his attention to Fox.

Throughout the party, everyone was talking and having a good time, while I sat in the corner balancing a partially-filled soda can on its two bottom rims, rolling it in circles. I had to do _something_ to take my mind off of my pain, and surprisingly, I thought this was kind of cool and addictive. It wasn't up until Broadway and Angela came over that I immediately was forced back into heartache.

"Hey, why aren't you talking to anyone?" Broadway asked, "You upset or somethin'?"

I sighed, "Why is everybody getting up on my case about it?" I asked, "It doesn't matter! Okay!?"

"Brooklyn, you've been acting very strange for a little while now." Angela said before holding a plate with a slice of chocolate cake towards me, "Need some cake or something—?"

"No," I said, standing and pushing the plate away, "what I need is to be alone." And I walked off to the corridors again, this time to my room.

Broadway and Angela looked at each other, confused.

"What's up with him?" Angela asked.

Broadway shrugged, "Don't know…maybe someone rubbed him the wrong way not to long ago or somethin'."

**Well, looks like ol' Brooky is kinda hot-headed at the moment, huh? We'll see how things turn out next chapter, and remember, **_**anything goes**_**. Keep holding on…**


	2. Ch 2--I'm off

**Alright, a new chapter within a few hours, just so none of you are left in the dark about this whole thing. As always, enjoy it!**

I remained in my room with the door shut, laying on the floor for the next couple of hours. Why can't I enjoy myself these days anymore? Is there any possible way that I can be happy again? It's not like some hot human chick will look at me without going "Aah! Help! A monster!" Is that what I am? A monster? I wouldn't be surprised if all of the others thought of me like that. After a long, absent staring contest with the ceiling, a thought came to me: if all this drama doesn't leave me alone, why don't _I_ leave _it_ alone…?

This seemed like a good idea; maybe I could just leave. But…no. I can't just abandon my Rookery Brothers out of the blue like that. They're all I've got. It would make them really upset if I were to leave without explanation. And they are…are all happy about what they have that I don't. This seemed to be a good reason to put some distance between myself and here. Of course, I won't leave _forever_…just long enough to clear my head and pull myself together.

Now, full of determination, and some reluctance, I tore a blank page out of one of my books, took some charcoal from the fireplace, and wrote down a note for the others to find after I had left; I couldn't say goodbye in person, 'cause I just couldn't stand to see everyone sad because of me. Biting on my lower lip, I wrote the following:

_Everyone,_

_In case you're wondering about me and where I have been, I have left Manhattan. I need to take a break from this place and see what more there is to offer in the world. Don't worry about me—I can take care of myself. And please, DO NOT COME LOOKING FOR ME. I'm not worth it; I'll be far away by the time you read this. So, consider this a farewell…for now._

_-B_

I left the note folded up in the middle of the floor, where it would be very easy to spot in the torchlight. Afterwards, I snuck to the edge of the corridor that led to the Great Hall, and looked back at my clan one last time. Goliath was still talking with Delilah and Elisa, Broadway with Angela, Xanatos with Fox, and Lexington was off to one side, throwing a fairly large bone for Bronx to fetch.

"This is it," I whispered out loud, "I'll see you all later."

And I was off, without even showing myself. I glided off of the top of the castle over the buildings of Manhattan. The rain had stopped, so I had no difficulty with gliding. I was looking for a form of transportation, when something caught my eye: an intact motorcycle was sitting in a large, fenced-off area with several cars. Eager, I landed in the area, and saw that the keys were in the ignition.

Silently, I pried the chainlink fence wide enough to pull the bike through. Moving it was a task, though. Inch by inch, I slid the heavy bike through the opening. As it was about to go all the way through, a bright light appeared on the other side of the enclosed area.

"Hey, someone's here!" a voice said.

"Stay where you are!" another one shouted in my direction.

Squinting, I saw that there were two cops—I was in an impound lot. Uh-oh, now I'm in trouble if I don't get the hell outta here! Panicking, I started the bike, cloaked my wings, and rode off through the alleyway nearby. The two cops chased me in a police car for some distance, blaring their lights and siren at me, but I managed to take enough sharp turns to throw them off. I rode through the deserted streets until I came to another alleyway, where I parked the bike, sure that I had put enough distance between me and the cops.

"Okay…_that_ was scary." I said out loud, panting from stress, "I need to learn how to be stealthier if I'm gonna steal for my survival…lucky for me, they were stupid enough to leave the keys for me."

And I chuckled. I assumed that they took the keys from confiscated vehicles, so this bike must have _just_ been taken, and the cops were coming back for the keys.

Looking around, I noticed a motorcycle helmet and a leather jacket sitting on top of a pile of junk in a trash can nearby. Curious, I picked them up and examined them; they were both the same shade of black, and in pretty good condition. Why would someone not want them? Oh well, I guess I could make use of them if I'm gonna take the bike with me.

I wrapped my wings around my torso, and put on the jacket. After punching two holes in the helmet for my horns, I slipped it on and adjusted the strap for my head. Once I got on the bike, I felt something moving around in the breast pocket of the jacket. I reached in and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. The bridge was slightly bend, but it was a fairly easy fix. I slid the glasses on and nodded in approval.

"Yeah," I said, "just like old time."

This was exactly like the time Lexington fixed up an old motorcycle we found, and I took it out for a little joyride. I met up with some other bikers, and…well…let's just say I could have been killed…had it not been for our long-time enemy, Demona, who wants to rid the earth of humans. That was what came to me as a surprise; Demona was our enemy, but I later learned that she merely saved me to deceive me and gain control of Goliath.

Anyhow, I started the bike up again, and rode off through Manhattan, eventually going beyond New York City's limits. The world is now open for me to explore! Nothing can stop me now!

I put on the radio, and _"Bad to the Bone"_, by George Thorogood & The Destroyers, met my ears.

"Oh yeah!" I said, jerking my head to the rhythm as I rode, "This is good traveling music!"

Soon, Manhattan was far behind me…and what lay ahead, I have yet to find out.

**I know that it seems kinda rushed, but I wasn't exactly sure how to put it any way else. I'll hopefully try to be less abrupt with the future chapters, so for now…Keep holding on…**


	3. Ch 3--Gone!

**Ummm…I don't know what to say this time. Just read the chapter.**

Though I was gone, I still happened to recall that the party was about to end by now. I wonder what everyone was up to right now…?

"Well," Goliath said to Elisa as the party ended, "I suppose you will show up for the board game night in two week?"

Elisa chuckled, "I'll always want to spend time with you guys. But…" she yawned, "…I'm exhausted. I need to head on home and hit the hay. I hope you can manage 'til dawn without me."

Goliath smiled, "I understand. Go ahead and get your rest. I'll be here tomorrow evening, like always." He said, giving her a quick hug.

Broadway and Angela stood out on the balcony, looking at the star, which were now visible after the storm cleared up.

"It's beautiful out here," Angela said, sighing in awe, "I wish a night like this could last forever."

"But then we couldn't get our stone-sleep." Broadway said, and they both laughed.

Angela then put her hand on Broadway's shoulder, "You know, Broadway, I think I made the right choice picking you out of your brothers. No offense to them, though." She said.

"Well, ya know…" Broadway began, "I'm just glad that—"

Broadway never finished the sentence as the doors burst open with Lexington and Bronx rushing in.

"Woah, Lex," Elisa said, who was near the door, "what's all the ruckus?"

"Uh…well…I…Brook…lyn…he's…" Lexington was having a hard time talking due to heavy panting; he seemed like he was in a panic. He also returned holding a small sheet of paper in his hand.

"Hey, calm down," Fox said to Lexington, "just tell us what's wrong."

Lexington took several deep breaths before speaking, "O-Okay…okay…_hohhhh_…" despite taking a moment to relax, he was still in somewhat of a frenzy, "…so, I was on my way down the corridor to put away the unused silverware, and, um, well, I decided to look in Brooklyn's private room, which, ya know, I don't usually do, I don't know why, but I figured I would look, so I looked into his room, and—"

"Just spit it out!" Broadway interjected.

Lexington's eyes lit up with shock, "Brooklyn's gone!" he shouted.

"What!?" Xanatos said, clearly shocked as well.

"What do you mean by 'gone', lad?" Hudson asked.

Lexington held up the sheet of paper…the note that I left, "I don't know! He just left this note in his room! I searched the _entire_ castle, but I couldn't find him anywhere!"

Goliath stepped forward, "Let me see that…" he said, taking the note from Lexington. As he skimmed over it, his eyes widened and he gasped. Immediately, he dropped the note and made a break for the balcony, leaping off, and gliding around for a short distance. After a few minutes, he returned.

"I didn't see him at all!" Goliath said, "He was true to his word of being far away…"

Bronx paced anxiously and whimpered.

"It'll be okay, Bronx," Lexington said reassuringly, patting the gargoyle beast on the head, "We'll find Brooklyn…I hope." He said, whispering the last part.

"Hey, guys!" Elisa said, standing in front of a television with the remote in her hand, "Come look at this!"

Everyone gathered in front of the television to see the news, "_We have gotten info from the police department of an unidentified trespasser stealing a confiscated motorcycle from an impound lot, which had just been placed there after the biker was detained for the possession of methamphetamine._"

The reporter dissolved to the security footage, "_It is not clear who the thief is, but he or she possesses a very strange appearance, as shown by the footage you are seeing now. No clear traits can be viewed from this camera angle, however; only the suspects silhouette. The two guards pursued the suspect, but lost him or her in the mazelike suburbs._"

"Wait, that outline…" Angela said, looking hard at the screen, "…it's Brooklyn!"

"Yeah!" Elisa said, "It's _gotta_ be him!"

"But, for all we know, he could be _miles_ from here by now!" Xanatos stated, "We could never catch up!"

The reporter continued to speak: "_The suspect appeared to be proceeding north alongside the Hudson River. Neighboring towns and cities of Manhattan have been notified, and will apprehend the cyclist on sight._"

"He is going north…" Goliath pondered, "…we have to go after him!"

Xanatos sighed, "Didn't I just say he is now miles from here? How do you possibly expect to catch him? What if dawn comes before you do?" he asked.

Goliath narrowed his eyes, "Keep in mind, when dawn comes, we know we can't go anywhere…but neither can Brooklyn; he is a gargoyles, after all." He said.

"But…what if the sun rises while he's still riding? Wouldn't the impact of a crash possibly shatter him?" Fox asked.

Everyone looked worried. They _had_ to be able to catch up to Brooklyn. Who knows if something bad could happen to him?

"Alright," Elisa said, "you all take to the skies, I'll drive in my car. Xanatos and Fox, I'll need you two to stay here and monitor us. And see if you can't track down that motorcycle for us."

Xanatos sighed, "No promises…but I'll do my best." He said with reluctance.

As everyone prepared to come after me…little did they know that something was watching them in the shadows…something cold…cruel…unforgiving…relentless…

"So…he is alone…" she whispered to herself, smiling with glowing crimson eyes, "…Excellent!"

**Uh-oh…this doesn't look good. I think we all know who was stalking the Manhattan Clan…at least if you've seen the cartoon. Anyways, we'll see what happens later on! For now, live life to your fullest! Keep holding on…**


	4. Ch 4--On my Way

**Alright, so I hope that the transitions between 1****st****- and 3****rd****-person narrations are okay. Like I said, I sometimes like to take different approaches to my writing style. In any case, I hope it turns out good for you all!**

As I rode alongside the river, singing to the song on the radio, "_Born to be Wild_" by Steppenwolf, I was coming across a small city that was several miles from Manhattan. About time I got the opportunity to go where I feel. Because, that's simply how I'm gonna live for now; I'll just go where the road takes me. Never a predetermined destination, never a plan, just go as I please.

As I entered through one of the obscure roads in the city (which appeared to be called "Yonkers" according to the entry signs), I felt my stomach growling.

"Mm…gettin' hungry." I said to myself, "I oughta see what I can eat before going any further…but I guess I'll have to spend the day here, since dawn is coming."

I looked at the fuel gauge of the bike, which was nearing the "E". As much as I would hate to do it, I am going to have to leave behind the bike. I couldn't simply take it to a gas station, because…well…I don't exactly "blend in". As sad for me as it was, I parked the bike (which had been just running on fumes by then) on a patch of dirt on the outskirts of the downtown area, and abandoned the helmet, sunglasses, and jacket in the nearest dumpster.

It was in the same dumpster that I saw a fried-chicken bucket. I grabbed it out of curiosity, though expecting it to be empty, yet there was weight to it. I pulled the lid off to reveal that the bucket is still half-filled with boneless fried chicken strips.

"Wow!" I exclaimed, "Who tosses perfectly good strips…? Meh, who care? Finders keepers!"

One by one, I ate the white, juicy, fried hunks of chicken meat. They were room-temperature, and there was no dipping sauce, but it was still good enough to get me by. But…yeah; kinda embarrassing eating food from the garbage. Seeing as how I'm a gargoyle, I won't be able to purchase food. I can't do so anyways either, because I have no money. So…I guess this means I'll have to loot as much as I can from the garbage, or possibly resort to thievery. Hey, I gotta do what I can to stay alive, right?

After finishing my food, I tossed the bucket back into the dumpster. It wasn't exactly a heavy meal, but it was sufficient to halt my hunger. It was then that I saw the light rays of the sun starting to rise over the east horizon. I would have to find a place to sleep. Not too far away, I found a park, which appeared to be deserted at the moment.

Aside one of the concrete walkways, there was a big slab of concrete with nothing on it, about five square feet. I figured that this would be a good resting spot. I stood on top of it, crouched, put my fist to the ground, my other hand away from me, and spread my wings. As the light of the sun crept over the horizon and over the city, I felt my consciousness fade as my entire body turned to stone. Now I wait for night…

(XXXX)

Before all of that, however, my clan and the others began to trace my path. Elisa was driving in her personal vehicle while Goliath, Hudson, Broadway, and Angela were all gliding above her. Lexington and Delilah stayed behind to look after Bronx, and Xanatos and Fox were using a geosynchronous-orbit satellite to watch my clan and Elisa, and try to pinpoint my location.

Elisa was driving along, when her pager beeped. She looked at it, and saw that Xanatos was trying to contact her. She shut off the pager, and pulled over at the first payphone she saw. Goliath and the others all glided to the ground after seeing Elisa stop.

"So, what have you got?" Elisa asked Xanatos over the phone.

"_We were able to trace his route up the Hudson River._" Xanatos responded, "_From the direction he took, it appears that he is heading for Yonkers. He can't miss it now with the exits he took._"

"Do you think Brooklyn might stop in Yonkers?" Elisa said.

Xanatos was silent for a second "_…Possibly. Who knows? If he has any sense, he would have to stop if he wanted to get his stone-sleep before dawn. Anywhere else would be too far for him to reach before dawn._"

"Alright, thanks for the update." Elisa said, hanging up the phone. She turned to the gargoyles, "We need to head north, to Yonkers. Brooklyn's heading that way as we speak."

"Then, we must hurry." Hudson said importantly, "We won't be goin' anywhere once the sun comes up."

"Let us be off to Yonkers, then." Goliath said, getting a running start to catch the wind with his wings. The other gargoyles followed, as did Elisa in her car…yet another gargoyles was following them as well…the same one who was stalking them…

"I'm going to get to him first!" Demona proudly said to herself, "Even when day comes, I will still be able to get further ahead!" and she laugh maniacally.

Demona wanted to get ahead of my clan so that she could catch me and do God-knows-what to me. I assume she still holds a grudge against Goliath for not going along with her to purge the world of mankind. Since Goliath is our leader, she hates all of us as well, and by taking us one by one, I think she thinks it will make Goliath reconsider. But, I know that genocide is not in Goliath's nature, so if he disagrees again…I can't even begin to imagine what she would do.

In any case, I am completely unaware of Demona pursuing me…let alone knowing that I'm being pursued by my clan, who know nothing of Demona following! I mean, I'm a gargoyle, and she hates humans. Who knows? Maybe she's let me off easier than with most…but I really wouldn't bet on that. One thing I had taken into consideration before departure, however: prepare for the worst. And that's definitely something that I'll go by on my time alone.

**Not looking good at all, is it? If Brooklyn doesn't become aware of his clan and Demona following him, who knows what might happen? Oh well, we'll find out after more hated waiting. So, stay posted, and I'll update soon. Keep holding on…**


	5. Ch 5--Nightmare

**Alright, I figured that I would do a dream sequence somewhere in this story, since I figured it would work for a first-person narration. This is my first attempt at one, so please excuse any flaws that it may have.**

Demona glided down to Yonkers as the sun was about to rise.

"It looks like I was able to get ahead of them." She said to herself, "Now to find where Brooklyn has scampered off to."

Demona would have to remain hidden for a few more minutes as the sun would rise, because, unlike all gargoyles, she did not turn to stone during the day…

As daylight fell over the city, Demona collapsed to the ground in agony.

"Ngh…! RGH…! RAAAAHHHH!" She shrieked as her wings began to retract into her body. Her skin turned from blue to a Caucasian color, and her claws simply turned to fingernails. Her eyes also changed from a murderous shade of red to a casual brown.

Yes; as shocking as it is, Demona has the ability to change into a human during the day. Though, obviously from her reaction, her transformations are quite painful. This makes for a good advantage to her, as she is not immobile and vulnerable like the rest of us.

Demona stood, put on some human clothing and sandals she brought in a small satchel, and began to look around the city. Several people were filling the streets, so she had to push her way through to try and find me.

"Out of my way, you foolish humans!" she shouted angrily, "Unlike the lot of you, _I_ have something important to take care of."

At last, she made it to the park that I was at. After looking around for a while, she eventually spotted me on the concrete platform. Smirking, she approached me in my stone state as people walked by curiously glancing at me ("Huh, did they just put that statue in?" "Never noticed that thing there before." "About time they decided to put something on that concrete!")

She stopped right in front of me. "So, Brooklyn," she began, "you decided to simply abandon everything you had just so that you may wander off…alone? For what? This is your idea of fun, perhaps?" She walked closer and lightly stroked the side of my stone muzzle, "Well, I assure you that your effort to get this far will be worthwhile, and that I—"

Demona suddenly got the feeling that she was being watched. And wouldn't you know it, when she looked behind, a small group of kids were watching her.

"Um…why are you talking to that statue?" one kid asked.

Demona narrowed her eyes, "Is that any of your concern, child?" she asked.

"Well," another kid began, "it just seems a little weird that you are—"

"Alright, so perhaps you want me to tell your parents that you thought that I am 'weird'?" Demona suggested.

"NO! No!" All of the kids said at once.

"Then leave!" Demona said, pointing down the concrete path, "And don't let me catch you watching me again!"

The children left, and Demona returned her attention to me.

"Now, let's play some mind-torture games, shall we?" Demona said to herself, touching her middle and index finger to my forehead and her thumb just below my eye. Then, she channeled her energy to gain access to my subconscious. Though she was human, she still retained gargoyle powers.

(XXXX)

While I was in my stone-sleep, I had a dream about an event from my childhood that I will never forget; one of the first Viking raids on Castle Wyvern. I was just a gargoyle child, but it has haunted me to this day.

I was hiding in a barrel, and could only see through a knot-hole the fire and clashing swords. My parents had hid me in the barrel and told me not to leave on my own, but until they came to get me. They had both gone to fight.

In a clan, any gargoyle is an equal family member to the entire clan, but my parents really valued me and my older brother, who everyone calls "Brooksbro", that they genuinely and secretly considered us their sons.

It was then that I saw my mother, a gargoyle with pale gold skin and long blonde hair, fending off a Viking armed with a claymore. She was desperately dodging, hoping not to get struck. Off to another side was my father, a red, muscular gargoyle with long silver hair, like mine. He was taking on two Vikings who were swinging giant flails at him.

My mother was close to being able to time the Viking's swing and disarm him, but something happened that she couldn't avoid; she was struck by an arrow from an archer far away. I gasped at the nanosecond it hit her, and I felt my heart sink.

"NOOOO!" My father roared, and then he charged through the two Vikings he was fighting to get to his wife. He picked her up, and held her over his shoulder, all the while fighting off the other three Vikings, but it was no use; he was struck and slashed into a bloody mess. Tears filled my eyes as I watched this.

"Ha! We showed those two!" One of the Vikings said.

"Let's go to the next courtyard!" another said, and they all left thereafter.

Once they were gone, I leapt out of the barrel and ran over to my wounded parents, "Mom! Dad!" I yelled in my high-pitch child-voice as I sprinted. I kneeled to examine their wounds; my mother was hit in the heart, and my father's ribs were broken and bleeding internally.

My father coughed, "Ugh…son…" he took my hand, "…you need to…*cough*…hide in the…rookery…with the…others…"

"Dad!" I said, crying my eyes out, "I don't wanna leave you!"

My mother, straining greatly, reached over and put her hand on mine, "…My son…please listen…" she began, faintly, "…you are a…*cough*…a brave gargoyle…and one day…you'll do…great things…"

"M-m-mom!" I said, crying harder than I ever had in my life, "P-please! Don't d-d-die! I don't-t want y-you to d-die!"

"…Look at me…Brook…lyn…" she said, "…your father and I…*cough*…we will always…love and watch…over you…*cough*…so, please promise…me one thing…"

"W-w-what-t?" I asked, wiping the flooding tears from my eyes.

With a deep breath, my mother spoke her request: "…Promise…that you will…wipe out the human race…and make gargoyles the…superior race…"

I widened my eyes in shock; this didn't match my memory! My mother never told me to kill human! No one has!

I stopped crying, and yanked my hand from her's, "No! I won't!" I proclaimed.

"What!?" my mother said, still straining, "W…why won't you…Brooklyn…?"

I gritted my teeth in anger, "You don't know my name! You died before I got it…a thousand years later!" I yelled in a whiny, child-like voice.

"Now…listen, young man…" My father said, "…do what…your mother says…"

"No!" I yelled, "She's not my mother! And you aren't my father! This is just a dream! It's all an illusion that some mystical force is trying to set up!"

As I protested, I began to grow taller, my voice got deeper, my hair got longer, my wings grew larger, my arms and legs got thicker, and my muzzle became more pronounced. My growth stopped when I reached my present-age of nineteen (in gargoyle years).

"Now tell me right now," I demanded in my voice, fully returned to normal, "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"

My "mother" and "father" sat up, as though their injuries were not bothering them.

"Ha ha ha ha!" my mother laughed, wickedly, "So…you saw through us?" she said, still with an evil smile.

"Very well…" my father said, "…let's show him who we _really_ are!"

With a blinding light, the two merged together to reveal…

"Demona!?" I shouted.

She said nothing and just charged at me. I grabbed her hands, and we were both trying to force each other to the ground. I was just about to run out of strength as she was pushing me back, though.

_Oh…_please_ let me beat her…!_ I thought. And with that, my eyes lit up. It was not the white color I get when I am angry, for some strange reason. Instead, it was a deep, majestic blue. While the glow was on, I was able to summon the strength to force against Demona and push her to the ground. Just when she had a look of panic on her face as I was about to strike, she vanished.

Damn! I wish I could have gotten to her! Oh well, since I now know that this is just a dream, I can do anything I want…until I wake up. I manipulated my mental environment to a nighttime party on beach of Manhattan, where I was on a hot date with Maggie, Angela, and Deliliah. Despite it being fake, it was still fun.

(XXXX)

In the real world, Demona stopped channeling my subconscious.

"Well…" she said to herself, "…who knew he wouldn't be as foolish as I thought?"

Demona darted her eyes around nervously.

"I suppose I'll wait a little longer…" she said, "…let him _reflect_ on the omen of his imminent danger."

And with that, Demona set off to check up on my clan, just to see how far they made it before sunrise. She'll have to make it back soon if she wants to be able to keep up with me when I set off!

**Dark, I know. I figured I could add something that would have given Brooklyn a psychological reason to be upset as to why he feels alone. This is how it can work in real life, too; stress and anxiety can often come from another source. But I'm not here to give psychology lectures, so for now, we'll see where it can go from here on out! Keep holding on…**


	6. Ch 6--Power Unfolding

**Okay, after doing **_**so many**_** household chores and yardwork today, I figured it's time to get some physical rest and put in some mental exercise by continuing to think up the plot. So, as always, the story will now continue! (BTW, forgive me if my writing seems funky here; I'm so exhausted that I can hardly even lift my fingers.)**

Goliath, Broadway, and Angela all had to stop once dawn came and hid under a highway bridge so as not to be seen in an unusual spot. In the meantime, Elisa set their location on her map, and continued onward to Yonkers.

She began to search around the small city, occasionally asking people if they've seen a strange gargoyle statue that hasn't been around for long. As of right now, though, she could get no information. I guess she thinks that I have hidden myself somewhere she won't be able to look. Oh well, I don't plan on having anyone find me, as I believe that I have made it clear that I didn't want to be found.

Elisa searched all day to no avail, and returned at dusk to wait for my clan to awaken.

Just after the sun had set, and absolutely no more daylight was directly hitting the city, I began to break out of my stone sleep, and sound my barbaric yawp of a yawn over the roofs of the world! (Heh, yeah…I actually read that from a poem somewhere…except for the yawning part.) Damn, I always feel great and refreshed after a good stone-sleep! I would have headed out…but, there was a problem immediately.

I noticed that there were several kids in front of me, all with their mouths and eyes wide open. I felt my stomach drop and my pulse quicken. I really, _really_, hoped that they would not go running off screaming. And by merely thinking this, my eyes began to glow…but like in my dream, it was a blue glow. Not white. What is up with this?

"Uh…" I began after the glow went out, slowly lowering my arms from the yawn, "…hi?" I smiled, with my eyebrows pointing upwards.

"Wow!" One kid said, "They're real! I _told_ you all!"

"What?" I asked.

Another kid stepped forwards, "You're one of the Gargoyles, aren't you?" he asked, clearly excited.

"Well," I said, taking deep breaths from the relief of them not panicking, "I, um—"

"Yeah!" a girl said, "You're that Brooklyn guy! We've heard about you, and Goliath, and Broadway, and everyone else!"

My eyes widened, "You have? Really?" I asked, rich with amazement.

"Totally!" one boy said again, "We heard that Broadway became a TV star!"

"And, we also heard on the radio, that your friend, Goliath…got in trouble and went to court." Another kid said.

I look at the ground, my eyebrows low. I didn't know that everyone knew this much about us. Huh…I guess we aren't as obscure, or feared, as I thought.

"Mr. Brooklyn! Mr. Brooklyn!" a kid with a notepad yelled excitedly as he came running up to me, "Can I have your autograph!?"

A smile spread over my face with this kid, "You got it, kid." I said, taking the pencil and notepad, and with the neatest handwriting that I could, I wrote down my name. I gave the notepad back to him, and he looked happier than ever.

"Anyways, what are you all doing out at night?" I asked, "Aren't your parents wonderin' where you all are?"

"Oh, they're all over watching a softball game." One girl said, pointing to the softball field to the east, which was bright with the lamps, and where cheering could be heard coming from.

Another kid spoke: "They said we could all do what we wanted, as long as we don't go far and stay close together."

I suddenly remembered what I was supposed to do. "Well, sorry to go so soon, but I should probably head on out." I said.

"Wait!" a girl said, pulling out a camera and tripod, "Before you go, can we have a group picture?"

"Yeah! Come on!" Everyone was saying.

I smiled at the children, "Alright." I said.

Once everyone huddle around me, the girl adjusted her camera after setting it on a rock, started the timer function, rushed over to join us. After a few seconds, it flashed brightly as the shutter went off.

The girl then went back over to pick it up; the picture was already printed from it. "Once it develops," she said, shaking it gently, "I'll give every one of you guys copies of it."

I stepped away from the children and spread out my wings, but I looked back one last time. "Well, goodbye everyone!" I said, waving.

"Bye!"

"See ya!"

"Goodbye, Mr. Brooklyn!"

"Hope we'll see you again!"

I sighed once, and then got a running start to catch the wind, and then I was gliding high up in the sky over Yonkers. After leaving the motorcycle behind, I felt that I should probably get some flying time in. But…something was still bothering me. Why do my eyes glow blue instead of white sometimes? And why, after it happens, do things go in a way that benefits me? I began to think that I may have some type of ability. My guess is that it gives me good luck; maybe if I hope hard enough that something bad doesn't happen, then it doesn't happen. This is pretty cool, I thought. Maybe if I can somehow figure out how to consciously control it, my life could get a lot easier.

I figured that I would simply cross the river, because I spotted another cluster of lights not too far away. Yet…

Demona was on my trail again. But this time…she was not alone.

"Glad you could finally show up, Iago!" she said to another "gargoyle" who had just joined her.

"Yes," the android gargoyle responded, "I've longed for this opportunity. Now, I can show this world just what I am capable of!"

It was Coldsteel, a cybernetic gargoyle who had been implanted the spirit of Iago, who was shattered along with the rest of the Wyvern Clan when Castle Wyvern was invaded. Like Demona, he was always vengeful and manipulative. Unlike Demona, however, he was only willing to do things in his own way, rather than give in to exact demands.

(XXXX)

Elisa contacted Xanatos once Goliath, Broadway, and Angela were all awake.

"Are you able to see where he is right now?" Elisa asked Xanatos over the phone.

"Hmmm…" Xanatos hummed, "…while it isn't fully visible, I can make out something flying…too small to be an aircraft. It's heading southwest from Yonkers in the direction of North Bergen and Union City."

"What!?" Elisa exclaimed, "But that's in New Jersey! And you're sure it's Brooklyn?"

"I assume it's him!" Xanatos responded, but abruptly cut off to another sentence, "Wait…I'm getting something else, too."

"What?" Elisa asked.

Xanatos was silent for a moment, "It looks like there are two other things of similar size flying a couple hundred feet behind him. On infrared…one looks like it's giving off heat, and the other…is cold, like it's metallic."

Elisa held the phone down for a moment, "Um…guys, I think Brooklyn is being followed." She said.

"What?" Broadway asked, "By who?"

"I don't know, but there's two gargoyles following him, and one appears to be…metallic." Elisa said.

Goliath's eyes widened in realization, "It's Demona and Coldsteel!" he said abruptly, "We need to catch up to them, posthaste!"

Angela looked worried, "Well, this sure is becoming a good adventure, huh?" she said sarcastically.

"Never mind that now, Angela," Goliath said, "We must now head for New Jersey. Quickly, too. We cannot afford an encounter with both Demona and Coldsteel."

Once again, Elisa drove off while the gargoyles took to the air, all in hot pursuit of me.

**Things are picking up, huh? Well, I have to say, I'm getting through these chapters pretty fast! I hope to finish this story before the end of the month; yes, I've set myself a deadline. If I don't make it, shame on me. Anyways, bye for now! Keep holding on…**


	7. Ch 7--Vengeance and Avengeance

**Alright, now it's time for this story to get serious in some spots. Just like life, it's not all rainbows and sunshine here, 'cause since Demona's coming, it's obvious that there's gonna be some intense moments.**

As I fly through the night sky, I sigh in delight at this amazing sensation of freedom, now that I am all on my own, and that no one can tell me what to do or where to go. The feeling of the wind in my hair…my constant tendency to barrel-roll…even spreading my own arms as I flew…this felt amazing; I was completely free.

Yet…I can't help but keep having the memories of my parents keep appearing in my head, all brought up by that stupid nightmare. All I could do was reminisce of how they defied Clan traditions and treasured me; ever since I was in my egg in the Wyvern Rookery, I can still recall them telling me that I will do something really great for this world, someday. I assume that "thing" is fighting the forces that pose a threat to Manhattan—well, all of mankind.

My eyes began to well with a few tears. I really missed my mother and father. I desperately would do anything to avenge them, but I know that I can't, because the Vikings who killed them are probably dead by now, along with the entire civilization. And since Goliath told us that he has put the Phoenix Gate (an artifact that enables time-travel) into a time-void, there is absolutely no way that I will ever be able to see them again.

The tears were about to fall from my eyes, but I forced them not to spill from my eyelids. I can't become soft! It happened way back when I was a _child_! I've grown up; I'm a man now, so I need to behave like one.

(XXXX)

Demona and Coldsteel continued in pursuit of me.

"I see you have repaired yourself, Iago." Demona said, looking at his new-looking metallic body.

"Indeed," Coldsteel responded, "T'was quite a beating from Othello and Desdemona…but I managed to escape, despite the damage I sustained. And it took a long while to be able to forge new body part for this…" he looked at his cybernetic form, "…_empowering_ build."

"I have heard that you had inhabited Brooklyn's body for a short while," Demona said, "do tell me what it was like."

Coldsteel sighed, "It was rather disappointing: that runt of the rookery has horridly poor fighting skills. I still give blame to Puck for putting me in such an insulting structure of a gargoyle body." He said, angrily.

Demona smirked, "Poor fighting skills, you say? Ha ha ha…then we can make short work of him!" her eyes glowed blood-red as she smiled.

(XXXX)

As Goliath and the others continued to travel to New Jersey in hopes of catching up to me, Elisa took the lead, due to the gargoyles being unfamiliar with the surrounding locations.

Hudson began to pant heavily, "Ngh…" he said, swaying abruptly.

Angela swooped down to see what was wrong, "What's the matter?" she asked.

Hudson tried to glide back up with the others, "Don't worry about me, lass. I'll keep up…" he said, before suddenly giving out slightly again.

Goliath took hold of Hudson and flew to the ground with the others in front of Elisa.

"What's the matter with him?" Elisa asked.

"He's getting tired." Broadway said, "We've never flown this far away before."

Hudson hung his head down and sighed, "I'm gettin' too old to be doin' this." He said, sadly.

"Well, I'll take him in my car, but, I'll have to let him out when dawn comes, 'cause…well, let's just say his stone-sleep will make my car's suspension a thing of the past." Elisa said, chuckling at the end.

"Hmmm…" Goliath pondered, "…very well. I'm not tired yet," he turned to Broadway and Angela, "are you two doing alright?"

"Mm-hm! I'm good!" Broadway said.

"Me too!" Angela said next.

"Alright," Goliath said, "then we must hurry! Demona will get to Brooklyn first if we dawdle."

And with that, my clan was in the air once again. Except for Hudson, who lay in the back seat of Elisa's car.

"Hmmm…" Elisa said, looking at the fuel gauge, "…need to fill 'er up once these guys are stone."

(XXXX)

I decided to stop at last in the outskirt of the town across the river, which appeared to be called "Union City". I figured that, since there did not appear to be a feasible location to sleep without waking up and potentially scaring someone, I would probably need to remain hidden during the day. After a bit of time of searching, I came across an abandoned warehouse.

Curious as I am, I decided to look inside. I climbed through an open window, which led to a small, dusty, decrepit office. The door leading to the hallway was locked, so I had to bust the door out of its frame with a swift kick. Though the hallways, I found the way to the main room, which stretched out for what seemed a mile. It was full of boxes and old antiques. There were several cabinets, tables, chairs, vases, couches, a couple of pianos, several portraits and paintings, a few European longswords and samurai katanas, and even some old rifles, shotguns, and revolvers. Everything else was covered in tarps.

As I walked, I didn't see where I was swinging my tail, and it caught the leg of a table. The table was so old and dry that the leg came loose, the table fell, and a valuable-looking vase on it crashed to the ground and shattered. I flinched when this happened and was worried for a moment, but then I saw another vase. This gave me a funny idea.

"I think I'll just break some more." I said out loud. Besides, who's gonna stop me?

I walked up to the vase on a tiny nightstand, and smirking smugly, simply and casual pushed the side of it. It fell to the ground with another satisfying clatter of ceramic shards.

"Yeah," I said, nodding, "that's a fun time."

I then noticed several glass cabinets covered with clear plastic lined up like dominoes. I chuckled as I walked over to the first one. Then, I turned my side to it, put my hand to it, and my other hand on my waist; a casual wall-pose, even looking at my "nails" on my free hand.

"Whoops!" I said, smiling ecstatically, and immediately after I pressed the cabinet, which went toppling into the next one, and soon, the domino effect was going. Once it reached the end, the floor covered in a thick layer of glass shards, I collapsed to the ground, laughing so hard that tears leaked from my eyes.

But my fun only lasted so long…as I saw a few lights, and heard voices.

"I don't know!" a young man said, "It just…happened out of nowhere!"

"I think someone has snuck in!" another man's voice said.

"Do you hear something?" yet another one said.

I stopped laughing and sat up to see the flashlights of four security guards. Quickly and discreetly, I climbed up onto one of the metal walkways above the ground-level, where I only peer my eyes over the wooden board of the platform.

"Smashed!" a guard said, examining the glass on the floor, "All smashed! Who did this!? These were priceless!"

Improvising, I pinched my nose, raised and threw my voice to my left: "Did I do that…?" I sniggered to myself silently: I had just done a very passable impersonation of Steve Urkel.

The guards shifted their flashlight beams around me. Once again, my eyes began to glow that strange blue color again; I had to duck back down so that they wouldn't see the glow.

"It came from over there!" a guard said, pointing to a spot on the ground floor, about twenty feet to my left.

All of the guards rushed over, "Alright, nerd-voiced prick! Your little game is over!" one said as they all drew their handguns.

Silently, I climbed a ladder up to the ceiling while they were distracted. What do you know? This power I have…it worked again! I guess that this power I have _does_ bring me luck. Maybe I can somehow learn to control it, and all of my problems will be over. But, seeing as to how it appeared in a dream…one thing that bothers me is that Demona was in that dream as well.

I don't see how it could be a coincidence. I was starting to get really paranoid as a result of all of this, but I had little time to think about it consciously, since the sun was now rising…and I had become stone once again.

**Okay, so with what I have planned, I'm definitely not making the deadline, so…yeah, shame on me. But remember, I never quit a story until I have finished it. And I will be sure to finish this story as well. More to come soon! Keep holding on…**


	8. Ch 8--Confrontation

**So, I figured the suspense was dragging out too long, so this chapter, I'm gonna try something a little different. Hope you enjoy the major turning point of the plot for this chapter. Keep in mind that the end of the story is not coming within the next few chapters, so remain patient for any climatic event.**

As dawn was approaching, Elisa had to stop to let Hudson out of her car so that he would not turn to stone and break the car.

"You sure you'll be okay later?" Elisa asked.

"I'll be better after a good sleep, lass." Hudson said, "It's the best thing for a gargoyle."

"Come, then," Goliath said, "we must find a place to remain for the day."

They decided to stop at an abandoned gasoline station at the side of the road. After taking several minutes for Goliath to wrench open the boarded-up doors, and periodically hiding from passing cars, the clan all stepped into the small building, where they turned to stone once the sun rose.

Lucky for Elisa, she happened to find a full jerrycan of unleaded gasoline, which she poured into her car's tank without delay. It did not fill it greatly, but enough to get to another city. After that, she climbed into the back seat, where she would get some sleep, since she was now pretty much having to become nocturnal in order to keep up their pursuit of me.

(XXXX)

As night fell over Union City, I awoke from my slumber with a loud yawn, like I always do.

"Yeah…" I said to myself, stretching my arms, legs, and wings while keeping my eyes closed; I was too tired to open them, "…I should get some breakfast."

"Then perhaps you egg should have been made into an 'omen-let' before you were hatched…?" someone said to me. A voice that I knew all too well…

I opened my eyes, and felt my stomach flip at the female gargoyle in front of me, "Demona!" I shouted in shock. Just as I turned to begin running away screaming, something large and metal caught me. "Coldsteel!" I said again.

"Yes, Brooklyn," Demona said, "you really are naïve to be leaving without a traveling partner."

"And even so, we still would have taken you!" Coldsteel added.

I struggled to break free from this "Coldsteel-grip" (yeah, bad joke, I know), "You won't get away with this!" I shouted, "Let me go, or you will both pay!"

Demona laughed, "Now really, child, who is in control of the situation right now?" she asked.

"That doesn't matter! You'll pay for attacking my clan and trying to kill off the humans!" I shouted, and then I turned to Coldsteel, "And you'll pay for taking over my body and making me attack my friends!"

"Stop the resistance, Brooklyn," Coldsteel said, "you have no chance of escape."

I glared and then shouted at them both, "Says you! I can take you out with my wings tied!"

"Now, Brooklyn," Coldsteel said, loosening his grip slightly, "I know that you and I…share a similar fate."

Still in rage, I managed to utter out a question: "What do you mean?"

Coldsteel chuckled, "I mean, you and I…have never experienced the one thing we have been denied: love and acceptance from a female."

I stopped to listen to Coldsteel.

"I had always loved Desdemona back in the days of Wyvern's dominance, but she was so cruel as to betray me for Othello! And ever since then, I have always lived by a doctrine I made: never trust _anyone_, especially those you are closest to."

"Y…you're wrong…" I said, "You were—"

"Silence!" Coldsteel snapped, "So, I tried to end up convincing my brother that his mate had been having an affair with Goliath, but it backfired, and I was banished. That was when I realized that _everyone_ betrayed me; not just Othello and Desdemona!"

I listen in shock as he explains this to me.

"And…the same has happened for you, though in a more subtle manner." Coldsteel said, "Brooklyn, join me and Demona, and we can all rule the world! Nobody can question or defy us! All gargoyles will be our servants, and humans will be the soil of which we tread upon! And with that in place…we may all finally have our first love, except for Demona, who will have her first _true_ love."

I think about this for a second. What would be the good of killing off millions of innocent lives just for the sake of keeping one for myself? It was never going to be considered a fair ratio.

"You liar!" I shouted, and a blue glow filled my vision, "I'll never kill off humanity, and the gargoyles will forever be free!"

Coldsteel's arm-wires began to spark rapidly, which led to them releasing me. Immediately, I kicked Coldsteel across the face, knocking him over. Demona growled and darted at me with glowing red eyes. The blue glow of my eyes lit up again, so I dodged her attack, and she ended up falling off the building onto the pavement.

That was strange; it seemed like I could have done so without my luck-power, and she had enough roaming-distance to slow down before falling, and to top that off, she could have easily glided instead of crashing down. What was this? It's like she became a bad-luck magnet…wait. Could it be? Does my power bring others good luck as well as _bad_ luck? Now _that_ was something that I could put to good use…but I still don't understand what triggers it. It only seems to work in a situation that is mandatory for it to work.

Regardless, I darted back down into the warehouse, where I searched through the antiques until I found a battle-ready katana with a black handle and scabbard, a golden cross-guard and pommel, and a high-carbon blade. I pulled my belt through the loop of the scabbard and quickly tried to fly off before Demona and Coldsteel could figure out where I was going.

Flying through the night sky once more, I began to regret traveling alone. I should never have left Manhattan. It was a stupid choice, considering that it was one over the pressure of being the third-wheel of the group. Yet right now, all I could worry about right now was putting some distance between me and those two…dangerous gargoyles.

(XXXX)

"Blast it all!" Coldsteel shouted angrily, "He got away!"

"Never mind that," Demona said, "we will catch him soon enough. And when we do…" she said nothing more and simply laughed maniacally, which led to Coldsteel joining her in unison.

**Might have seemed subtle and quick, but the actual fights will be more intense, I promise you all that. So, for right now, just sit back and wait for the next chapter to come! See you soon! Keep holding on…**


	9. Ch 9--Sharp Edge

**Yeah, sorry about the wait. I just got back from a long road trip (crossed Kansas in a single day) to go to a wedding…which I did not want to attend, but was forced to go by my parents. Anyways, a new chapter…with some influence from my experiences on the trip I took (that's one thing I've learned about writing; incorporating elements from your own life into literature)**

I was frantically flapping my wings trying to catch the air currents as I flew away from the city, further west. Now that I knew Demona and Coldsteel were both on my trail, I would have to do everything in my power to make sure that I keep moving, and hopefully lose them at some point. The katana I took was frantically flapping around in the wind, and I had to keep one hand on it so it wouldn't fall out of the scabbard.

I figured that Demona and Coldsteel singled me out due to a lack of protection from my friends, since I had gone off on my own. But, now that they have found me, I can't go back to Manhattan because that would surely be the first place they would look if they lost me. Either way, I'm still going as fast and far as my wings will carry me.

(XXXX)

"Ngh, how fast do you think he is going? I think we are losing his trail!" Coldsteel said.

"We can catch up to him!" Demona said, "It was inevitable that he would figure out we were following him sooner or later."

"To think, even after that lecture," Coldsteel began, "he still held his distrust towards us!"

"Though I will admit it was quite a worthy attempt. I am quite surprised that you were even aware of his unstable life." Demona said, chuckling, "For a moment, the frightened expression he held when we caught him made me believe he was going to urinate in his trousers. Heh heh!"

"Well, you were not the only one watching them all these months. After Xanatos deactivated my tracking device, I was free to go about whatever I desired, and…I wanted _vengeance_. I wanted my _rightful honor_. Particularly after being denied my honor, my efforts, and my feelings…" Coldsteel said, painfully reminiscing the events at Castle Wyvern when he was banished, "…they all hated me. Every one of the miserable, pathetic gargoyles at Wyvern called me a deceiver, threw rotting food and garbage at me during my departure into exile, and I nearly _starved_ several times during my year alone."

"It sounds like it was very trying for you, Iago." Demona said, surprisingly with slight compassion.

"You have no idea." Coldsteel responded, "They left me completely alone in the outside world to rot! And many days, I dreamed of seeing Desdemona's face…her being at my side…Othello's head on my wall…and her accepting it and moving on for me!" he sighed in despair, "Tell me, Demona; what is it like to experience love? To have a mate? To have another return your feelings for them? To hold and caress them as your own?"

Demona was forced into painful memories of her and Goliath becoming mates and spending nearly all of their nights together, "Well…it is rather…difficult to put into words." She began, "It's much like…you have found the one thing you need to live…if you are separate, then you feel lost, even if everything is under control…one who is almost like…your opposite-gender self; completely alike."

Coldsteel hung his head down. He would have cried, but since he is cybernetic, he cannot produce tears, "Oh, what I would give for such a feeling…" he said, sadly, "…it sounds so lovely. Now, I hold even more of a grudge against Othello and Desdemona!"

Demona nodded, "As you should. What is a world without justification and retribution? Nothing but chaos and closed-mindedness!" she proclaimed.

"And we must convince Brooklyn to join us!" Coldsteel said, proudly.

"However, I have a feeling that he will not consent to our proposal…" Demona said, "…and if it _is_ the case…we shall…_erase_ him." She said, smiling.

Coldsteel widened his eyes, "Um…_kill_ him?" he asked.

"Not immediately," Demona said, "we would keep him secured for a while for him to think and listen to reason, and if that should not suffice, we take drastic measures."

"I concur!" Coldsteel responded, "Let us catch up to him put an end to his hilarious schemes!"

(XXXX)

After gliding for a great distance, I eventually came to another city (Jersey City). I landed in a large grass field surrounded by some trees and fencing. I did not spot Demona or Coldsteel on my trail, so I assumed that I had gotten away.

Out of curiosity, I drew the katana I took from the scabbard and gave it a couple of practice swings (which I learned by watching Hudson practice with his scimitar).

"Hm, got a good weight to it." I said to myself; the sword was surprisingly light. I decided to see how well it functioned by slicing a fairly tall, but narrow, tree stump. The razor-sharp blade, glittering under the light of the moon, slashed through the wood with little resistance.

I stared in amazement at the piece of sliced wood, and then stared at the sword, which had not even the slightest sign of dulling on the blade.

"Okay, this thing…" I began, "…is _awesome_!" No doubt about it; it cut _far_ more swiftly and smoothly than an axe. Why didn't people just use these all the time instead of axes? They use little effort and time, and make cleaner cuts. Also, they don't appear to dull as fast.

Still, though, after listening to Coldsteel, I still could not get the burden off of my mind. Most of the Wyvern Clan had mates, with the exception of those who did not want to mate, or the males who were unfortunate to not get to a female in time (there were more males than females). But…now that we are in this time period and just about every female gargoyle that I am interested in is taken, I don't see how I can ever find love.

Saddened again, I holstered my sword, walked alongside the fence for a bit under the streetlights, and sang "Shiver" by _Coldplay_. I poured out the lyrics from my very heart, emphasizing them with great emotion. And just when I was about to end, I happened to notice someone following me on the other side of the gate.

"Hey," they said, the voice clearly female, "don't stop; you sound amazing!"

"Huh?" I said. I never really thought anyone would think that I would sound good, "You really think you?" I asked.

"Yeah!" she said. From her vocal depth, I assumed she was in her early thirties.

Wow. Who knew that I would have a good singing voice? I mean, sure, I like to sing…whenever it's private, but if I had known that I sounded good, I probably wouldn't be embarrassed to do around others.

"Mind if we speak face-to-face?" the woman asked.

My heart skipped a beat out of fear, "U-uh…well…see…I can't…'cause…" I trailed off.

"What?" the woman asked, "C'mon, don't be shy; I bet a gorgeous voice belongs to one with a gorgeous face…" she said, walking to a gate nearby.

My heart was racing; would she get scared at the sight of me? But then, my eyes glowed blue for a brief moment, which was able to relieve me of my stress, since now she would not react badly.

"Come into the light," the woman said, "I want to see you."

I sighed, lowering my pulse, "Okay…but, promise you won't get…uncomfortable?" I requested.

"Sure." She responded.

"Okay…" I said, slowly stepping from the shadows into the dim lighting of the streetlights through the tree branches.

The woman's smile faded and her eyes widened immensely, "You're…" she began, "…a gargoyle?"

Pursing my lips, I nodded, "Yeah…that's right. I am on kind of…a trip…alone." I said.

"You left your clan from Manhattan?" she asked.

I nodded again, "You've heard about us?" I asked.

"Yeah, you're…Brooklyn, right?" she asked.

"That's me." I responded.

The woman made some nervous leg movements, "Well…this is kind of strange to ask but…" she struggled to maintain eye contact, "…how would you like to be a singer at a club I work at not, far from here?"

I raised a brow, "A singer? Me? C'mon…I'm not _that_ good…" I said.

"That's not true," the woman said, "I think you sounded even better than the original version. And besides, we need a good music performance, since several candidates have been rejected."

I pondered on this; Broadway did get some attention for becoming a TV star…so maybe I could literally have _my_ time in the spotlight?

After weighing the pros and cons, I agreed, "Yeah, I'll do it! I got nowhere else to go and nothing to do, anyway. And, between you and me…I'm also pretty good at dancing." Yeah, dancing was another one of my talents; it interested me after I watched some of Michael Jackson's performances.

"Oh, that's great! You should do that too! I bet you'll be amazing! We'll pay you for it." The woman said.

I shook my head, "No need; I'll do it for free." I insisted.

"Alright, let's hit it." She said, before turning back to me, holding out her hand, "I'm Bianca, by the way."

I shook her hand, "Yeah, nice to meet you." I said, before I followed her to her car, and drove off with her to the club on the other side of town.

"You might wanna leave your sword in the car." Bianca advised as we drove.

**Okay, I'll just put it out: NO, Brooklyn will not have a romantic relationship with Bianca; they will simply remain acquantances. Anyways, I will try to make as much time as I can to write out the remaining chapters. Also…I think it would be pretty amusing to see Brooklyn as a music star. As a kid, I actually dreamed about it. So, I'll see you all later! Keep holding on…**


	10. Ch 10--Bite the Dust

**Well, I'm back, and yes, another songfic. What can I say? There lots of good music out there, so why not put it into such a suiting occasion? Anyways, enjoy the chapter!**

After going through the hassle of presenting me to the staff of the club (enabling use of my luck-power to prevent any bad situation), Bianca was able to pull a few strings to get me to do a performance. I was kind of nervous, to tell you the truth, but I was also somewhat eager to get some attention. I noticed some television cameras set up on the upper level of the club. Who knows? Maybe it will go on the air if I'm lucky (which, I reminded myself, would not be a problem if I could control my power).

I decided to wear some attire, just for the hell of it, and also keeping with the club theme. My clothing consisted of a black T-shirt with crossbones on it (with slits I tore for my wings), faded blue jeans with ripped knees (and a hole I tore for my tail), and a black headband over my hair.

"_Alright, all you music fans out there,_" a voice said over the PA, "_tonight, we have a _very_ special surprise in store for you! The man…or should I say, _gargoyle_…who will be performing…is the strong…_" the audience began to get excited, "_…the fierce…_" My pulse kicked in as I stepped off side of the backstage wall, peering out into the club, "_…the powerful…BROOKLYYYYYYYYN!_"

The crowd burst into applause as **"Another One Bites the Dust"** by _Queen_, began to play. I moonwalked out onto the stage, and the cheering got louder and higher. Then, I did a spin as I met the middle of the stage, and simply decided to let my body move in coherence to the rhythm (which, I've learned, is how most successful dancers do it). As the lyrics were to begin, I held the microphone up to my muzzle.

"_Ooh, let's go!_

_Steve walks warily down the street,_

_with his brim pulled way down low_

_Ain't no sound but the sound of his feet,_

_machine guns ready to go_

_Are you ready, Are you ready for this_

_Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?_

_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_

_To the sound of the beat!_

_Yeah!_"

Everyone in the audience began to clap to the beat of the song, and I vaguely noticed during a spin-move I pulled off that I was on the large screen behind me.

"_Another one bites the dust,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_And another one gone, and another one gone,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_Hey, I'm gonna get you too,_

_Another one bites the dust._"

I started to really show off my moves for the brief pause and pull a quick backspin and handspring myself back up.

"_How do you think I'm going to get along,_

_without you, when you're gone?_

_You took me for everything that I had,_

_and kicked me out on my own._

_Are you happy, are you satisfied?_

_How long can you stand the heat?_

_Out of the doorway the bullets rip_

_To the sound of the beat!_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_And another one gone, and another one gone,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_Hey, I'm gonna get you too,_

_Another one bites the dust._"

Several people in the crowd were amazed at how well I could both sing and dance. A few in the more open areas began to dance themselves, while several in the cramped space were simply lip-synching.

"_Hey!_

_AWW take it!_

_Bite the dust!_

_Bite the dust, hey!_

_Hey!_"

Wow, this was actually turning out a _lot_ better than I thought that it would. And I have to admit, it was kinda fun, too.

"_Another one bites the dust,_

_Another one bites the dust (ow!),_

_Another one bites the dust (hey-hey!),_

_Another one bites the dust (heeeyyyy!)_

_Oooh, shout!_"

Throughout the song, there have been random patterns of flashing lights and lasers, all of which appear to change color, shape, strobe, texture, and position in coherence with the music. I didn't know how it worked, exactly, but it was cool nonetheless.

"_There are plenty of ways you can hurt a man,_

_And bring him to the ground;_

_You can beat him,_

_You can cheat him,_

_You can treat him bad and leave him_

_what he started._

_But I'm ready, yes I'm ready for you,_

_I'm standing on my own two feet._

_Out of the doorway the bullets rip,_

_repeating the sound of the beat!_

_Ohhh, yeah!_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_And another one gone, and another one gone,_

_Another one bites the dust,_

_Hey, I'm gonna get you too,_

_Another one bites the dust._

_Alright…_"

The entire club then began to clap their hands like crazy and scream in absolute enjoyment. It seemed clear that my performance…was _beyond_ excellent.

I bowed my head, "Thank you!" I said into the mic, "Thank you all very much! I'm glad you all liked it! It was pretty cool to be able to—"

"ENCORE! ENCORE!" the crowd chanted in unison.

I look over the sea of waving hands, thinking for a moment. After some consideration, I bring down my eyebrows with a determined smile. "You got it!" I said, "There's more coming your way! It'll be just a second…"

I went off to the backstage area to make preparations for more karaoke.

(XXXX)

Elisa and my clan, meanwhile, after receiving info from Xanatos of my whereabouts, had stopped on their way to Jersey City in a small town. On an isolated street with no bystanders or pedestrians…they all happened to see my performance on a television that was for sale in the shop behind glass.

All of them were in shock as they watched me sing and dance.

Angela folded her arms and shook her head, "…What is he _doing_?" she questioned out loud.

"Well, it's weird that those people at the bar let him do this." Broadway said.

Goliath's eyes fell to the ground, "He will attract too much attention by doing this, and in attracting too much attention…he will attract _Demona's_ attention."

"What do you think we should do, then?" Elisa asked.

"Well, lass, I believe we must head over to…what do you call…a 'bar', and see if we cannot bring him home." Hudson suggested.

Elisa nodded, "Well…I think that would have been our _obvious_ next course of action, so we—"

Elisa stopped talking at the sound of screaming; the clerk in the shop saw the gargoyles, and frantically picked up his phone, dialing three numbers.

"Uh-oh," Angela said, "we should probably leave before Homeland Security arrives!"

"Then let us take our leave!" Goliath said as the gargoyles took to the skies and Elisa drove ahead of them in her car to lead them to their destination…

**Well, it may not have moved the plot very much (or even at all), but I figured it would be nice for ol' Brooky to get some attention from the people in a positive way. So, Goodnight America...er…Goodnight World! The wolf shall return once again to bring to light a new chapter at midnight. Keep holding on…**


	11. Ch 11--Karma

**Okay, just got back from a five-day camping trip with absolutely no internet access, but had a great time with my family. So anyways, on with the story!**

When I had finally finished my performances at the club, everyone was quite satisfied with my karaoke as they repeatedly chanted my name at the end. Though the club staff offered to pay me in any form, but I declined, insisting that living out the dream of it was enough for me. In any case, they thanked me for entertaining the guests, and I got my katana from Bianca's car, and went on my way.

Discreetly walking through the alleyways, I happened to notice two guys who were arguing, and off to the side was a woman about their age.

"I told you over and over again, you ignorant bastard, she's mine!" one of the guys shouted at the other.

"No, I've known her longer! She's already _my_ girlfriend! We've been dating for two months! She was never yours to begin with!" the other retaliated.

I could assume that one was the boyfriend and the other was the jilted lover; a typical love-triangle.

"Okay, that's it!" the jilted guy said, cracking his neck, "You're gonna be making out with the _ground_ as hard as you do with her!"

"Bring it, douche!" the boyfriend responded, cracking his knuckles.

The two began to fight, and the girl repeatedly tried to intervene, but they ignored her and continued to fight. Finally, though, she managed to separate the two and get their attention. I was hoping that this would not be an instance that John Wayne walks off into the sunset with Grace Kelly, and by doing so, my eyes glowed blue.

"Okay, you two have pushed me too far!" the woman yelled, and she turned to the boyfriend, "You and me, we're done!" and then to the jilted guy, "And I'm gonna get a restraining order against you!"

With that, she stalked angrily off.

I chuckled; that was pretty amusing. About time Mother Nature starts putting people to justice and removing them from the poisoning of romance. This gave me an idea…

I proceeded to go about the city, looking for any human couples. One that I came across was a young, teenage couple, sitting on the patio of a gourmet restaurant. Using my power, I was able to make them do clumsy stuff (spill food and drink on themselves, eat sloppily, spill sauce and spices on each other's dishes, etc.) until they both got angry at each other to the point where they promptly broke up.

This happened to many couples that I came across, and it gave me a great sense of both satisfaction and relief. Reducing the amount of couples made me feel less isolated…even if I was not of the same species as the humans.

"Oh yeah! I'm bad!" I said proudly as I flew around the skyscrapers, "I'm making people hate each other!"

Then, I happened to spot two more people in a grass field below me. Maybe just one more, I figured.

So, I landed, silently trying to approach the two, but then one of them jumped quickly away, and appeared to jet out of sight.

"What the…?" I whispered.

Putting aside the one that appeared to flee, I continued to sneak up on the other one to try and scare them, just for a little thrill. And as I grab their shoulder and pull them around…

"Hello, Brooklyn…" Demona said to me.

"Hah!? What!?" I jumped back as I realized that it was Demona. I was about to draw my katana, but something came out of nowhere.

_CRUNK_.

The next thing I knew, I was inside of a large steel box with a barred, square-shaped hole in front of my face. Coldsteel had just swooped down in front of me next to Demona; he must have dropped this cage on me from above after he slipped away from Demona a minute ago.

I rattled the bars, "Grgh! Let me out! Now!" I shouted.

"And just what can you do if we do not?" Coldsteel questioned, "You will not be able to use your sword in there!"

"So what!?" I retaliated, "Help will come to me! I know it!"

Demona laughed, "Don't get your spirits up for nothing, Brooklyn. All hope is lost for you." She said, "You're going to come along with us to a private location to where no one shall find us. That box is one inch thick of industrial-strength carbon-steel with a state-of-the-art electronic lock, so face the fact that escape is impossible!"

I was angered beyond comprehension, "You won't get away with this! Goliath will hunt you to the ends of the earth for kidnapping me!" I shouted, pounding the door.

"Don't waste your breath, Brooklyn, it will do no good to argue with us." Coldsteel said, "Alright, I'll load him up onto the truck, so you just wait for me." He said to Demona.

"Very well." Demona said, heading out of the field.

Coldsteel lifted up my heavy steel prison, and carried me to a large Peterbilt truck with no trailer, and simply bolted the cage to the empty hitch with the barred "window" facing the back of the truck, giving me nothing to see except through the rear-view window of the truck, where Demona was sitting in the passenger seat. Coldsteel got into the driver seat, and started the truck up.

He pulled out, and began to drive quite fast, out of town. I was really scared right now; there was no way that I could break the door or window open, and I don't know how to access the lock from the inside. Where they were taking me, I had no idea. All I could do was pray to God that my life would be saved by a miracle.

**This does not look good at all, does it? Hopefully the next chapter won't take so long to be posted, so in the meantime, just enjoy what's here for now. See you soon! Keep holding on…**


	12. Ch 12--A Way Out

**Hey! I figured I would simply just put up the new chapter right away, since I'm in the mood to write a little more. So, I hope this chapter turns out okay for you all!**

"Wait…" Elisa said to Xanatos over the phone, "…okay, just tell me one more time. _What_ happened to Brooklyn!?"

Xanatos sighed, "Look, from what I can tell, the regular and metallic gargoyle appear to have caught up to him! He was carried off by the metal gargoyle in some sort of metallic container, at least from what I could tell on the infrared GEO satellite. They appear to be taking a truck to the southern outskirts of the city, and are proceeding west."

Elisa lowered the phone; she couldn't believe it. Demona and Coldsteel got me. And now, she cannot begin to imagine the fate that lays ahead of me.

"…Alright." Elisa said to Xanatos, "Well begin pursuit. Keep us updated on the truck's positions when I call you."

"Will do." Xanatos said.

Elisa hung up the phone, and let out a sigh of despair.

"So," Goliath began, "what has become of Brooklyn?"

Elisa said nothing; she closed her eyes, and lowered and shook her head. Everyone gasped.

"They got him!?" Broadway shouted.

"…Yes." Elisa said, weakly.

Angela was close to tears, "This can't be! We've gotta save him!" she cried.

"Agreed!" Goliath stated, "We must follow them and catch up before it is too late!"

With that, Elisa and my clan all began to fly and drive at breakneck speed in desperation to catch the truck that held me.

(XXXX)

Meanwhile, back in the truck, Demona and Coldsteel were debating on what route they need to take to get to their destination.

"I believe we should have taken the exit three miles back!" Demona said, pointing at the map.

"Well, _I_ believe that this way is much faster!" Coldsteel rebutted.

Demona threw down the map in frustration, "You have not been around for as long as me! How could you possibly know your way around?" she yelled.

Coldsteel gritted his metal teeth, "Blast, I know what I am doing!"

"You have obviously made a wrong turn at the last intersection!" Demona stated.

"You did not notify me of the proper junction route!" Coldsteel shouted.

"Don't be obnoxious, Iago!"

"You are acting like a child!"

"This is causing a major setback!"

"You never plan things accordingly!"

I pounded on the wall of my prison, "Hey! Can _both_ you ladies quit bitchin' and just let me out of here for a minute!?" I said loudly through the bars, "I have to go to the bathroom!"

Coldsteel sighed in impatience, "…Very well, but make it quick…" he said, slowing down and pulling out the keycard for the cage, which Demona swatted from his hand.

"Are you daft!?" Demona scolded, glaring at Coldsteel. She was unable to believe how foolish he was.

Coldsteel's eyes widened as he began to speed up again, "AH! _Very clever_ attempt at trickery, Brooklyn! But sadly… to no avail." He proclaimed.

I pounded on the cage wall once again, "Let me out so I can dropkick _both_ of your asses!" I angrily shouted.

"Not a chance!" Demona said, laughing hysterically.

I sat on the floor of the cramped cage, trying to find a comfortable position. I had to wrap my wings around my torso just to save extra room, but even then, it was still somewhat of a cram.

I sighed, "What am I gonna do?" I said to myself, quietly, "I can't see where we're going…I have no way out…my sword is useless in this situation…damn, I'm really screwed this time."

I even noticed that the sun was beginning to rise.

Out of anger, I struck the side of the cage…which revealed a panel with several wires underneath a metal lid that fell off. Curious, I looked inside to see that it was a bunch of wires that appeared to be part of the circuit to the electromagnetic lock.

Well…this should be interesting. I know very little about electrical wiring, so either I am able to open the door at a pure gamble, or risk creating my own deathtrap by damaging the circuit and disabling the lock control.

Looking carefully at the circuit, there was a series of alternating red, green, and blue wires, as well as a thick black one that appeared to be the ground. On one end of the circuitboard was the lock module, and on the other was the exterior control panel and capacitor, with three colorless wires connecting to the series of colored ones. Above the circuits was a circular illustration of colors and arrows that shows how the patterns of the wires change; it goes red, green, and blue.

I figured that I would have to use the illustration to figure out the path from the capacitor to the lock. Keeping the cycle in mind, I started with the left colorless wire, which appeared to be linear, but then skewed out of the cycle at one junction. The same thing happened with the middle one.

This led me to believe that the colorless wire on the right was the one that I had to cut. Holding my breath, and closing my eyes tights, I tugged at the wire with my claw until it tore. There were two quick beeps, and a clunk; the cage was unlocked. I opened my eyes in disbelief at the partially opened door.

"Woo-hoo!" I cheered, silently, "Brooklyn, you rule!"

Without delay, I climbed out of the prison, stretched my wings and limbs, and hid on the underside of the truck. I had to get a good cling as the sun was about to appear.

This was when Demona looked into the rear-view mirror on the right-hand side of the truck, and saw the flapping door. Her eyelids shot up and she blinked in astonishment.

"Iago, stop the truck!" she demanded.

Coldsteel pulled over, and they both got out to inspect.

"Another trick!" Coldsteel said, pointing to the opened cage.

Demona rasped, "The box is _opened_." She said, "_How_, pray tell, is that a trick?"

The sun was now up, but before I could turn to stone, my eyes glowed blue once again, and I remained flesh.

"It's not a trick!" I answered Demona as I emerged from underneath the truck, "It's legit!"

Demona collapsed to the ground in agony as she began to transform into a human once again. Coldsteel on the other hand, tried to attack me, but my luck was overflowing and I simply dropkicked him into the cage, and I tossed Demona in with him as well. Quickly, I shut the door and jammed my katana into the latch. Afterwards, I broke off the scabbard from my belt.

"What!?" Demona said as she saw me through the bars, "Impossible! You are supposed to be stone!"

"Yeah?" I said, my eyes still glowing blue, "Well, I have an…ability, which appears to be _evolving_."

"No!" Demona shouted, struggling against the confined space with Coldsteel.

I ignored this for now, and simply took a look around. So…this is what daytime is like. I liked it. Everything was so bright and vibrant and colorful. Now I really wished that gargoyles could become stone at night and flesh by day.

Yet, I stopped focusing my power once I climbed into the truck's cabin…and fell into a stone-sleep.

**Yep, I think this is a good stopping point. From here on out, it should be going a lot easier…unless something else could pop up at any random moment. But we'll see how it goes…later! So, this will be all for right now! Stay tuned for more! Keep holding on…**


	13. Ch 13--Family

**Okay, sorry all of this is taking so long! My parents are trying way TOO HARD to prepare me for my Senior year of high school. But I finally have time to focus on another chapter, so I hope all is well for everyone, and that the chapter is okay!**

Demona had fallen asleep after losing track of time, and Coldsteel entered a standby-mode to conserve power. I remained laying in my stone-sleep in the cabin of the truck for the entire day. When night came, I broke out of my stone layer, hearing Demona shrieking in pain as she changed back into a gargoyle.

"Oh, how I hate Puck for making me change forms!" Demona shouted furiously.

"Never mind that," Coldsteel said, "we just need to figure out how to get out of this cell."

"Maybe _you_ should learn to do something yourself for once!" Demona angrily suggested.

Coldsteel pressed against the sides of the cage, but it did not work, "It's no use! The door is sealed shut! That sword is made of _quite_ some durable iron to be able to keep _me_ from opening this…"

"Yeah!" I said, stepping in front of the barred window of the small prison, "How's it feel to be on the other end of the gun, eh Demona?"

"Grr! Brooklyn!" Demona shouted, "You let us out right this instant!"

"Do it now!" Coldsteel demanded, "Or I will personally take control of your body again through Puck, do some lifting to get you into shape, and keep your body until death!"

"Not a chance!" I said, trying to resort to the old method of using Demona's own words.

Demona sighed, "Brooklyn, hear me out…" she began, "…if you are so kind as to allow me to leave this…confined space…" she reached through the bars and gently stroked my muzzle, "…then perhaps I could be willing to show…_mercy_…" she said with a fake-looking innocent smile and raised eyebrows.

I stare with my eyes as wide as hotcakes as Demona began to run her fingers through my hair. Was she trying to _seduce_ me!? Blargh! What is _wrong_ with this chick!? Does she seriously have the audacity to try and get me to fall for her after everything she has done?

I hastily turn around and stand on the ledge of the truck, "…Sorry, but no dice." I said, "As much as I am defeating my purpose for leaving Manhattan…I have some friends to get home to!" I spread my wings, and look back one last time, "And remember: I'm the greatest gargoyle that ever lived! Don't forget that! Sayonara, she-devil and metal-head!" I said, laughing as I glided into the sky, back the way we came.

"No! Stop!" Demona called, but I paid no attention.

Demona sighed, "I'm going to be stuck in here with you for a long time, aren't I not…?" she said to Coldsteel.

Coldsteel merely eyed downward at his pelvic region, "…I need my oil changed." He said.

Demona gritted her teeth in anger and slammed her head against the cage as a response.

(XXXX)

My clan continued to follow in pursuit…but had completely lost track of the direction that they believed the truck was heading.

Elisa sighed, "I hate to say it…but I think they made off with Brooklyn." She said, sadly.

All of the gargoyles hung their heads down.

"Aw, snap!" Broadway said, "We weren't fast enough!"

"W-what are they gonna do to him…?" Angela asked, worried beyond belief.

Goliath let out a moan, "Knowing Demona…anything." He said.

"Well, I think we must accept our defeat…and try to find him another day…" Hudson said.

"Or…what's _left_ of him…" Broadway said, making chills go down everyone's spines.

"He really should not have run off in the first place…" Elisa commented.

"Aye," Hudson added, "t'was a foolish errand. None would ever do it alone."

"I only wish he could still be at our sides…" Goliath trailed off.

"Yeah, me too!" a voice came from nearby. When everyone looked in the direction of the familiar tone, they all saw…

"Brooklyn!" Angela cried just before she rushed over and hugged me.

"You're not dead!" Broadway said happily, "How did you get away?"

"What? How did you know about…? Oh, nevermind. Well," I began, "Demona and Coldsteel put me in some sort of metal box with an electronic lock, which I disabled and got out of, and before I escaped, I put _them_ into the box. In fact, they are most likely still in it right now."

"Oh, what a relief…" Elisa said gratefully, placing a hand to her chest, "how did you find us?"

I shrugged, "I just came back the way we were heading." I said, before raising my tone, "Now, why on earth did you decide to come looking for me? I made it very clear in my note not to do so."

"But c'mon, Brook, you're our family." Broadway said, "We would never give up on you for anything else."

"Yeah!" Angela added, "We would always honor the value of family, seeing as to how little of us are left…"

I smiled; it was not a fake-smile. I was honestly pleased that everyone truly valued me, and all I thought they were doing was trying to make me feel bad about myself because I do not have a significant other. Now I realize that running off like that was immature and impulsive, so I ended up feeling somewhat guilty about making them drop everything to find me, but overall, I was actually glad to see them once again.

"Come on now," Goliath said, "it's time to go."

Yeah, heading back home to the castle sounded great. This trip has been quite some adventure, but I agree that it's time that we wind down.

"I'll see all of you guys back in Manhattan!" Elisa said as she got into her car and drove off.

"Alright, let's head home." I said.

And with that, we all spread our wings, got a running start, and caught the air currents to glide back. For miles we flew, taking frequent rests (mainly for Hudson), and soon enough, we made it safely back to Manhattan.

**Yeah, the story is coming to a close, but I will try to squeeze as much as I can out of the remainder of the plot. In the meantime, keep preparing for the start of the school year…damn, I'm so pissed about school starting back up. Oh well, see ya! Keep holding on…**


End file.
